Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders from around the world will meet at the Church’s General Conference headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, April 18 and 19, to review progress, discuss challenges, and to chart future plans for the Adventist Church.  The annual meeting, known as Spring Meeting, brings together some 100 members of the church’s executive committee, which is made up of church administrators, pastors, and lay people from each of the 12 world regions, or Divisions, of the Adventist Church.

One of the most significant agenda items will be the consideration of a new strategic plan for the Adventist Church worldwide, says Michael Ryan, special assistant to the Adventist Church president for strategic planning, and director of the church’s Global Mission initiative.  “This is a dramatically growing church,” says Ryan. “We have doubled in size over the past decade and at last count numbered some 11 million baptized members in 205 countries.”

“But with growth come challenges,” he adds. “We must plan ahead to ensure that we move into the new century as a church united in faith and purpose.  And we need to allocate resources in ways that maximize our ability to both nurture church members and to reach out to those who have not yet heard the Adventist message of hope.” 

Other issues to be voted at Spring Meeting include the location of the 2010 General Conference Session, the top international meeting of the Adventist Church, held every five years, which draws some 70,000 participants and church members from around the world. Linda de Leon, assistant treasurer at the General Conference and session planner, says presentations will be given by representatives from three potential host cities; Indianapolis, Indiana, United States; Atlanta, Georgia, United States; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Spring Meeting agenda includes a year-2000 report from General Conference treasurer Robert Rawson and the annual auditor’s report on the operation of the General Conference. Executive committee members will also consider matters ranging from a proposal to establish an Ellen G. White Research Center in Collonges, France, to a request for recognition of a new church administrative structure in Equador.

Athal Tolhurst, undersecretary of the Adventist Church worldwide, notes that Spring Council is more than just a business meeting; it’s also a time to refocus on priorities.  He points out that the first agenda item is a time for reflection on the mission statement of the Adventist Church, which is to “proclaim to all peoples the everlasting gospel in the context of the three angel’s messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept Jesus as personal Savior and to unite with His Church, and nurturing them in preparation for His soon return.”

“In all our deliberations, in all our decisions, we want to be guided by this sense of purpose and mission,” says Tolhurst. “This is what defines our work here and gives it meaning.”

Adventist News Network will issue news reports throughout the two days of Spring Council. The reports will be available on-line at www.adventist.org.